Once Upon A Summer
by ImNotHumanNoComment
Summary: Sally Jackson has gone back to Montauk for the first time since her parents died, to honor the 20th anniversary of their deaths. While there, she meets a young man named Poseidon... See what happens from there. One-shot.


**A/N: Thanks to the Favorites I've gotten for The Forgotten Birthday, I've decided to write another PJO oneshot- this time focusing on Sally Jackson. :D That's all I'm going to say.**

**Disclaimer: Well, Rick may still own the series, but I ****_do _****own a jar of honey and a laptop.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Twenty years. Twenty whole years since they died._ The thought seemed to pace Sally's mind as she drove towards Montauk.

It had been twenty years since she had been orphaned. Seven since her Uncle Rich had passed away. And where was she? Working at a candy store in Grand Central Station.

Her life was worthless. It meant nothing. And it wasn't like she knew anyone in particular. She had nobody to live for. The closest thing she had was her boss... And he knew nothing about her. She had no one who knew her and cherished her as much as her mother did.

They had even gone to Montauk, once. It was July, but the water was still much too cold to swim in. Yet, the memory of the gorgeous shore was burned in her memory.

And now, she was driving back.

* * *

Microscopic July raindrops dotted her windshield as she pushed on. Any normal person would be at home, enjoying a cup of warm, delicious cocoa. A normal person wouldn't be on their way to the beach, not in the rain.

Since when was Sally Jackson _normal_? Was it _normal _to be orphaned at age five, and then quitting school a semester from graduation because your uncle's insurance had run out? She thought not.

As the rain gradually lightened, she pulled into a public lot and parked her little sedan. Grabbing a key and a tote, she exited and walked purposefully towards the beach.

Upon reaching the pastel box in which she would be staying in, her heart began to swell with bittersweet memories. The shells, the way they would dodge the water when it washed up on the shore... And then, it all disappeared.

She pushed that thought out of her mind as she entered the cabin. As she looked it over, she nearly fainted at what she saw.

Sand in the worn, faded sheets.

Spiders in the corners.

Dust sprayed all over the oak floor.

Was _this _what they had seen when she came last? Was her memory of the cabin marred by nostalgia?

Sighing, she placed her tote on the wooden floor and got to work.

* * *

Forty minutes later, her cabin was whipped into a shape that she doubted it had ever seen before. The little grains of sand that had previously dusted the checkered pastel sheets were now pushed into a little pile in the back of the cabin. The various cobwebs had been popped by her mittens, which she had packed just in case the temperature was painfully cold. The floor shone as if nobody else had ever stepped inside.

_Now_, she thought, _It's time to feed the seagulls._

Taking a bag of tortilla chips, she walked along the shore, tossing various scraps for the scavenging birds.

When her bag was nearly empty, Sally sat on the beach, looking into the waves. Behind her, a male voice spoke. "I see you find the water enticing, as well."

"Huh?" Sally whipped around to face the speaker. He had a tan complexion, dark, smooth hair, and sun-crinkles around his sea-green eyes. "Y-Yes, I do. B-but who are you?"

"I am Poseidon. And you are?" He inquired.

"I'm Sally Jackson," she replied.

"Ah, pleased to make your acquaintance. Come here often?"

"No, I'm afraid not. Perhaps I should, though. It's absolutely gorgeous here."

"I feel the same. I spend most of my days on beaches like this... Though lately I've been in Key West, promoting a franchise.."

"Ah," she replied. "What's it like

"Hmm," Poseidon took some time to ponder the question. "The beach itself is like any other... It's just the tourists that irk me."

"Well, luckily we have no tourists here in December," smiled Sally. He made her smile for some reason, as if the tragedy that had brought her here had never happened.

Poseidon adjusted his 'Neptune's Lucky Hat' baseball cap. "Then what are you?"

"I grew up here," she admitted.

"And you hardly come?" His pupils dilated, as if he couldn't believe it.

"I came when I was four, and now I'm coming to..." She couldn't quite form the the words.

"To what?"

She sighed, and the next thing she knew, she was telling him everything, like a leaking waterspout. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't believe she was telling a _stranger _all of this.

Then, uncontrollably, she began to cry. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as if she was a baby.

Unsure of what to do, Poseidon wrapped his arms around her, murmuring words of comfort in her ear. When she had calmed down enough to speak, she whispered two words before retiring for the night. "Thank you."

* * *

The days passed. Poseidon and Sally began to date one another, though their relationship had to be contained as a secret. His company couldn't find out that he was in love.

Yet, Sally enjoyed those days, feeding the birds, watching the waves, and sharing a cabin.

Near the end of the summer, Sally found out she was expecting a child. _Poseidon's child._

She talked about cradles, and shopping for the infant, but whenever she brought that up, he seemed to hold back. Then she found out why.

He wasn't just 'Poseidon.' He was the _real _Poseidon, Lord of the Seas, the Earthshaker. And he was embarking on a voyage at the end of the summer. "I may not come back," he warned.

"I'll be waiting here until you do," she replied confidently.

The day she never wanted to arrive, arrived. He was leaving her. Her and her unborn child.

"I-I'll miss you," she murmured into his ear as they hugged one last time.

"Take care of our child. And when the time comes, send them to Camp Half-Blood... it's on Long Island Sound. Do it for me. Please."

A summer camp? Quite the strange request, but she agreed, him being of more importance at the moment. "G-Goodbye, Poseidon. I'll send it there. I promise." With one last kiss on the cheek, he was off. Off on a voyage from which he would never return.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you think? I didn't want to put in details on how Sally became pregnant, so I just left it at that.**

**Anyhoo, please R&amp;R, no flames por favor. :D**

**See you guys later! -Gwyn**


End file.
